The Canottieri rewards its athletes of the year

Plaque to the Olympians Manfredi Rizza and Norah Milanesi Here are the protagonists of the evening-event on the banks of the Ticino

PAVIA

From the 9 years of the canoeist Ettore Pietra to the 71 of Mario Segagni, helmsman of the dragon boat. Canottieri Ticino awarded with a medal all its athletes who in 2021 went on the podium or distinguished themselves in official competitions.

«Looking at the many children of the Canottieri I still feel like them – said the Olympic silver medalist Manfredi Rizza – it seems to me yesterday that they came to get me to go canoeing. The future? I won my first medal as a junior with the k4 on 500 meters, who knows if it won’t be repeated ». Rizza received a plaque for the medal won in Tokyo; together with Giovanni Vescovi he then awarded the young canoeists and Angelo Lova, a visually impaired canoeist who, accompanied by the experienced Canadian canoeist Enrico Calvi, became the Italian paracanoe champion.

It was then the turn of Norah Milanesi, the swimmer from Pavia who participated in the Tokyo Games with the Cameroon national team, who was also awarded a plaque because she grew up in Canottieri. «A wonderful experience, the Olympics – said Norah – I met many people and saw many places. I had fun”.

The other awards

A total of 74 were awarded by the company of president Pierlorenzo Gatti. The coach of the dragon boat Paolo Marangolo, after announcing the four Italian titles won, called all the protagonists for the delivery of the medal. A prize could not be missing for tennis players of all ages who have won provincial and regional titles. Carlo Chiesa explained how the boat races were among the few that could be organized even in the period of the pandemic. Fausto Beltrami first awarded Daniele Pennisi, who concluded the Lanzarote ironman, then underlined how the section is expanding more and more, so much so that in the last Olympic triathlon there were 10 members in the race. Special award to Andrea Bazzo, ultramarathon runner who finished 23rd on the k.72 of the Italian long trail championship and who is preparing a race of over 400 kilometers in England next year. The final award ceremony of Gianluca Pietra, 47, marathon runner, together with his son Ettore was significant. –